Page 125 of Danger

It should be easier somehow, to hear it. That she finally sees me the way I see myself.

“Somoene who was never real,” she says. “You warned me about everything from the beginning. That you don’t do feelings. That this would go nowhere, right? You made that clear before the accident.”

“That’s not?—”

She shakes her head and interrupts me. “I know you did a lot for me when I was in the hospital and after and I do appreciate that. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me but you still hurt me. I really thought maybe there could be more between us. Thought maybe it wasn’t all fake. That you had a heart, or a conscience when it came to us.” Her voice cracks, but she keeps going. “But you proved me wrong.”

“How?”

“None of it was real.” She isn’t looking at me, just absentmindedly trails her fingers over a bottle of fireball. “You think I haven’t done this before, Danger? You think I can’t spot it when a guy’s lying straight to my face? When another woman’s involved?”

My arms are folded, left boot pressed so hard against the floor.

I let her talk. Because she deserves that.

She puts a hand on her hip. “Well?”

“It’s not like that,” I manage, watching the cat stretch.

“I thought—” Her voice breaks. “I thought you actually gave a shit. Cared about me, even.”

“Winnie,” I say, softly. “I do care.”

She throws up her hands and accidentally tips a crate which makes a bottle roll out.

“So what is it, then? Why did you break all your rules with me if you really wanted to be back with her?”

There it is.

“I broke every rule because I wantedyou,” I say, stepping closer. “From the first second this stupid fake plan started.”

Her breathing changes.

“I care, Winnie. I really damn well care. It isn’t a game. It isn’t convenient for either of us. But unfortunately, you are the only option for me.”

I move close enough that if she wanted to touch me, she could.

“You couldn’t have realized that before?” she asks. “You had to do the worst thing possible first? Rylee was awful to me. To you and Fisher. I know you two had some epic love?—”

“No.” I say simply.

Her mouth closes.

“Nothing happened with Rylee,” I say, quieter now. “Not that night. Not any night since she came back.”

She blinks like she didn’t hear me right. “What?”

“I didn’t touch her.” I hold her eyes so she can’t look away. “Not once.”

The room goes still.

“What Rylee and I had?” I shake my head. “That shit burned out a long time ago. Hell, I think it was smoke before it ever started.”

She takes a step back and crosses her arms.

“But you?” My voice drops. “What’s between us was never fake. Not for me. Not one damn second.”

She searches my face like she’s trying to find the lie.